Have an adult, with the corer, carve a hole in the center of the top of the apple about halfway through the middle of the apple. Make the hole about as deep as your pinkie finger and as wide as your ring and pinkie fingers together.

Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecan pieces.

Put half of the mixture inside the hole in the apple.

Place the apple in a small microwavable bowl and cover the bowl loosely with the waxed paper.

Microwave the apple on high for 1 ½ minutes.

Let it cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bowl. (Make sure you use a hot pad or have an adult help you. The bowl will be hot.)

Take off the waxed paper and spoon the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture into the center of the apple.

Return the bowl to the microwave uncovered for 25 seconds.

Let it cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bowl. (Remember to use the hot pad or have an adult help you.) Doesn’t it smell so yummy?

Serve the apple with a slice of cheese, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or glass of milk!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

That's right, folks! We're having a gala for the Gala apples! Gotta make room for more apple varieties and the Gala apples are ready for you to take home.$10.50 for a 20 lb box (and we pile it high), first come, first serve!

While you're here, take home some Warren Pears which are just perfect for eating in lunches. They're a firmer pear and will stand up to the jostle of backpacks or briefcases. My favorite way to eat them is sliced up after dinner or as part of the main course. Try this recipe and see if it doesn't delight the senses and make your family happy!

Preheat grill to high. Place chicken on hot grill and gook for about 6 min; turn and grill for 6 more minutes until no longer pink in the center. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then slice into bite-sized pieces.

While the chicken is cooking, in a medium skillet, toast sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring lightly. Remove seeds when they are golden brown (about 5 min).

The See Canyon Fruit Ranch, whose lovely grounds today attract such a variety of visitors (apple lovers, Sunday drivers, wedding guests), has a long local history. The original owner, James Brown, fought for the Union during the Civil Ware against the Confederate army that included his own brother. Afterward, he moved to New Mexico where his wife gave birth to a daughter, Rose. Some years later he and his family headed for California, picking up two Colorado farm hands on the way. One of these hands, George Mann, was eventually to marry Rose.

First, however, James Brown purchased the See Canyon property on July 6, 1894 from W.C. Rutan and named it the See Canyon Fruit Ranch. The ranch remained in the family for one hundred years before it was finally sold in 1994 by his great grand-daughter, Margaret. Over time, the family tried growing many different crops, finally concluding that the canyon was too cold for strawberries. Walnuts and peaches did better, but the land proved best suited for apples grown from old original trees and other heirloom varieties which he and his descendants planted. They also raised bees and harvested honey, and in fact the original "honey hut," now a small house, still stands on the property.

In time Rose and her husband George inherited the land from James Brown. They had two daughters but lost one of them, Gertrude, when she was still quite a young woman. The other, Mabel, married Roy Sherlock. In 1921, the ranch was passed on to this new young couple, who owned it until 1936. Like her grandfather before her, Mabel had but a single daughter, Margaret.

During those years, Roy worked his fields of peaches and strawberries with horses and a plow. His team, however, finally got too old for such heavy labor and he decided to replace them with a tractor. He found one for sale in San Luis Obispo and took his daughter Margaret with him to see it. There, Margaret met her future husband, tractor-owner Tom DeVaul, for the first time. Tom personally delivered the tractor to the ranch and their courtship began shortly thereafter. The tractor that launched the romance is now displayed prominently at the entrance to the old apple barn.

See Canyon Fruit Ranch visitors can presently purchase many of the original apple varieties planted by James Brown's descendants. For example, the Ranch sells Golden Delicious, Winter Banana and the Pearmain. Perhaps best of all, visitors can simply sit on a bench with a cup of fresh cider and take time to enjoy the years of handiwork that went into the building of this peaceful family homestead.

Directions to the Ranch

South on 101Take the San Luis Bay Dr. See Canyon off ramp.Turn right and go 1.5 miles to See Canyon Rd.Turn right onto See Canyon Rd.Go 1.5 miles until you see our sign See Canyon Fruit Ranch.Turn right into the gate and drive down to the barn.

North on the 101Take the San Luis Bay Dr. See Canyon off ramp.Turn left and go 1.5 miles to See Canyon Rd.Turn right onto See Canyon Rd.Go 1.5 miles until you see our sign See Canyon Fruit Ranch.Turn right into the gate and drive down to the barn.